4th Sunday of Lent March 15, 2015/ March 17, St. Patrick

Written by Fr. Fitz Friday, 13 March 2015 09:02

Be joyful, all who were in morning

Rejoice Sunday!....the color: Rose

In the first reading, Hebrews are exiled to familiar places: Babylon {Iraq} and were held captive until the Persians {Iran} came to power. Then there was a resurrection event, when Cyrus released them and even is inspired  to rebuild their temple!

God is patient with them and with us, so we rejoice.

"For by grace, you have been saved by faith!" Paul tells us in the 2nd reading, so we rejoice!

And in the Gospel, Jesus assures us "that God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him  mighr not perish, but might have eternal life, for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the wold, but that the world might be saved through him."

So we rejoice!

And again in today's Epistle Paul assures us that "God is rich in mercybecause of the great love he has forus"

So we rejoice!

Mercy is the great recurring theme in the writings of Pope Francis and it needs to be the recurring theme for us as we contine our Lenten journey. Lent is a time to be forgiven and a time to forgive.

There is a great scene in one episode of Blue Bloods, where Tom Selleck visits the bedside of the ancient enemny of his father and makes an apllogy.

The old man is oburdate and hard hearted, so Selleck says "YOU need to go to confession!"

The old man scoffs.

And Selleck says, "Not to me, but to him." And he open the door and a priest enters.

The old man relaxes, and the scene fades as the priest puts on his stole.

Mercy inspires mercy.

And we rejoice!

March 17, Feast of St.Patrick

and so we pray"

"All hail to Saint Patrick,

who brought to Erin's mountains

the gift of our God's love,

the sweet smile of his face!"

Saint Patrick enliven our faith.

inflame our love,

that we might ascend the mountains of our lives:

with revived hope,

just as you ascended the  Holy Mountain: Croagh Patrick.

And for my fellows who struggle up with me may:

"Sweetness be in my mouth.

Wisdom be in my speech!

{Last two lines from ancient Gaelic}